Caring Family
by csinycastle85
Summary: What happens when Rhoda and Lou receives news many years later?
1. Sad News

**Disclaimer: I do not own MTMS, MTM Enterprises and 20** **th** **Television do.**

 **Author's Note: Takes places thirty plus years later. So, this will be the more emotional story, so bear with me.**

 **Beta'd by: themtmshow (on Tumblr)**

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-July 2019-

It was early in Colorado Springs and both Lou and Rhoda were still fast asleep when the home phone rang. Deciding to let it ring, they tried to sleep through. However, this time Rhoda's phone rang. Rhoda reached for her phone and when she saw who it was and she quickly answered it. "Meredith, what is it?"

When Lou heard his daughter's name, he woke up in an instant. On her end, Meredith tried her best to keep her emotions and composure but couldn't. Tears running down her face, she said shakily, "Mom, something is wrong."

Fearing something bad has happened Rhoda asked nervously, "Baby girl? Are you hurt?"

This was one of the times where Meredith didn't mind being called baby girl. Meredith breathed in and out and said, "I am fine. I'm here with Tessa and Rose. But I don't think they are fine. Mom, Aunt Mary is dead."

Rhoda froze. _Mary? Dead? That is the worst news to wake up to._

Rhoda remembered that she had talked with Mary a few days earlier and that she said she was fine. Then again Rhoda knew her friend had been putting up a brave front as she had been mourning the loss of Steven who died several weeks earlier.

 _~Late May 2019~_

 _Rhoda and Lou stayed an extra two weeks after Steven's funeral to make sure Mary, Tessa, and Rose would be okay. The memorial service celebrated his life and had been sad and moving. Meredith had gone up with her cousins as emotional support for when they delivered the eulogy. While she was with Mary, both Tessa and Rose had called in to see how their mother was doing. Tessa asked, "Aunt Rhoda, is my mom eating like she is supposed to?"_

 _Rhoda shook her head. Tessa really knew how to put on a brave front when thinking of others before herself, even if she was entitled to her feelings with Steven's passing. Steven had been the only father figure that Tessa had ever known. The one person she and Lou were worried about was Mary. She had become withdrawn and sullen. She barely held it together when they had visitors over._

 _Rhoda said, "Tessa, sweetie, Uncle Lou and I are trying our best but she says she is not hungry at all."_

 _Tessa sighed. She knew this would be difficult. She said, "Okay I will come by later and see if I can talk to my mom."_

Meredith's voice pulled Rhoda back into the present. "Mom?"

Rhoda shook head and Meredith continued, "I just happened to be in the building to visit when I heard Tessa screaming. I rushed in. I checked for her pulse and tried CPR but it didn't work. Another doctor who lived in her building confirmed what I suspected: She died of a heart attack sleep overnight brought on by the stresses of a broken heart."

Rhoda felt her heart lurch. She felt bad for both Tessa and Rose. She had seen both girls as her own from when they were both very young. However, her thoughts went quickly to Tessa. Mary had been in most of Tessa's life. She was probably going to hurt the most.

She was lost in thought when she felt Lou gently shake her to bring her back to reality. "Ok Meredith, your dad and I will get there as soon as we can. I will call you when we arrive."

Ending the phone conversation, Rhoda let out a sob. Lou noticed and asked, "What is wrong? Is Meredith, Tessa or Rose hurt?"

Rhoda turned to face her husband and replied, "We need to get to New York now. Mary is dead."

Lou's eyes widened. The Mary he hired all those years ago had died? He couldn't believe it. She was still so young, vibrant, and healthy. Lou breathed in and out to calm down. When he saw Rhoda was moving quickly to get ready despite crying, he moved into action as well. At his age, it was harder, but with the news, the adrenaline helped him get up and ready quickly. Soon they were ready to head to the airport for the long flight to New York.

While on their flight, Lou reminisced about all the time he along with Murray and Ted had shared with Mary at the office as co-workers and at the pub as friends. He also looked to his right and saw his wife stare out the window. He realized that had he not hired Mary Richards, he probably would have remained single for the rest of his life after he and Edie divorced. Then he heard Rhoda sob next to him. He lifted up the armrest, put his arms around her, and gently pulled her in. Rhoda instantly melted into the hug. After all these years she still loved his embraces; it was her one safe place. Their love was as strong as has ever been; plus they had just celebrated forty years together.

When they lived in L.A. they had visited different places such as the Sunken City, Descanso Gardens, and the original Farmer's Market with dinner afterward. They also did family time together with Meredith taking her to Echo Park, Time Travel Mart, and Griffiths Observatory.

Then after Lou's retirement, they sold their house and moved to Colorado Springs. There they kept their romance alive by doing many things like visiting the winery, the botanical gardens, and museums. They had shared common interests like sports games and bowling. They even went for a hike at Garden of Gods located within Pikes Peak and a winery near Colorado Springs and then going to dinner after. They also pursued separate interests, Lou playing poker with friends and watching Westerns while Rhoda had photography and spending time with her friends. Rhoda and Lou also like to spend time with Meredith when she was in New York for undergraduate and medical school. Of course, they had arguments and disagreements, but they tried not to argue in front of Meredith.

After a few minutes, Rhoda spoke up. "I feel so bad for Tessa and Rose. Tessa especially. Mary has been in her life since she was an eighteen-month-old toddler. Gosh, she was a cutie."

Lou replied, "Yeah, I remember. She was adorable and very affectionate once she got to know us."

The two sat there in silence until the plane touched down at La Guardia over five hours later. When they got what they needed after getting off the plane, they hailed a cab and went straight to Mary's place.

When they got to the apartment, they were not prepared at all for what they were about to encounter.

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 **A/N 2: Thanks for reading the first chapter of "Caring Family". Reviews are appreciated!**


	2. Dealing with Grief

**Title: Caring Family**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own MTMS, MTM Enterprises and 20** **th** **Television do.**

 **Beta'd by: ounceofpervision (on Tumblr)**

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It was utter chaos. Toys and papers were strewn all over the once immaculate apartment.

They saw Meredith and Rose with their respective spouses Matthew and Derek, but Tessa and her husband James were nowhere to be seen. Right now, the formerly mentioned couples were with the kids: eleven-year-old Zoey and ten-year-old Nathan (Tessa and James' children), seven-year-old Zachary and five-year-old Maya (Rose and Derek's children), and four-year-old twins Evan and Ella (Meredith and Matthew's children). As Rhoda and Lou loved Tessa and Rose as their own, they did the same for their children. It seemed like they were all mourning Mary's death in their own ways.

Everyone in the room looked up when Rhoda said "Hello?"

The kids saw Lou and Rhoda come in, and they all ran to them, wanting a hug. They all chorused, "Nana! Papa! GiGi! Uncle Lou!"

They all gave them each a strong hug. Zoey hugged her great aunt and uncle the hardest. Rhoda and Lou felt bad for her and her brother. They were at the age where they needed extra attention, which Tessa and her husband, plus Mary and Steven, had been giving them lots of. Losing two grandparents in the span of eight weeks would be tough on anyone, let alone two preteens.

After the kids greeted them, it was the adults' turn. When it was Meredith's turn, she asked, "Mom, Dad, when did you get in? One of us could have come to get you."

Rhoda waved it off and said, "We got in about an hour ago and we know you guys have your hands full."

After giving Matthew, Rose, and Derek each a hug and a greeting, they heard voices from the kitchen. There was no mistaking that it was Tessa. "Geez, I need to call the funeral home. Then there is the florist and the church and everyone in Minneapolis and San Francisco and…"

Then they heard Tessa's husband James talking. "Tessa, my love, you need to slow down and take a break. You have been going nonstop since Mom passed this morning…"

Not realizing her favorite aunt and uncle had arrived, Tessa stopped where she was, turned around, stared at James, and snapped, "Don't you tell me what to do! I know how my mom likes everything!"

When they heard the commotion, the three older kids froze while the younger three began crying, and the comforting began again. Tessa's reaction surprised Lou and Rhoda. This was the first time they saw their niece snap like that. Apparently even Tessa's husband couldn't get her to calm down.

James halted. He was worried about his wife and the mother of his two kids, but he didn't know what else to do. He knew he shouldn't argue with Tessa at this point. He left the kitchen feeling dejected. Right then, James saw Rhoda and Lou. He came over and was about to greet them when Rhoda hugged James. Clearly, she could see he needed it. When they came apart, Lou hugged James as well. James knew his wife's favorite aunt and uncle just might be the answer to help out.

After that, Lou said to Meredith, "We will talk to Tessa. In the meantime, why don't you guys go and take the kids to dinner nearby? It is on us."

Lou pulled out a fifty and handed it to Meredith. Before they could say anything else, Meredith and the family were out the door. Soon after, Rhoda and Lou cautiously approached the kitchen. There they saw Tessa had gone back to her usual busybody self after that snap. It seemed that after she went into the photography business, she paid attention to every little detail, just like Rhoda did years earlier.

Tessa was so focused she didn't hear footsteps. Rhoda tapped Tessa's her shoulder and heard, "Go away, I don't want to talk to anyone."

Rhoda felt bad for her niece. Her life had been filled with death nearly all her life, and it seemed that wasn't changing. Knowing that Tessa was sad, Lou gently said, "Hey doodlebug, that is no way to talk to loved ones."

Tessa stopped what she was doing and lifted her head up. She hadn't heard anyone call her that in years. Then again, only her Uncle Lou and Aunt Rhoda were allowed to caller that. _Wait a second,_ thought Tessa. She turned around and saw her favorite people standing in front of her.

She fell into their open arms. Hugging them both tightly, Tessa said, "Aunt Rhoda, Uncle Lou, how did you manage to get here so fast? I don't remember calling you yet…"

Rhoda said, "Meredith called us this morning and…"

Tessa rolled her eyes and said, "I told her I could take care of it."

Lou wanted to say something but decided not to. By the tone of Tessa's voice, he could tell that she was suffering and about to break.

Seeing just her aunt and uncle there, it then hit Tessa that she really wasn't going to see her mom (or dad) again, not for many years anyway. After all the stress and emotions she had been experiencing, the grief came crashing down on her. She collapsed and Rhoda and Lou caught her before she hit the ground. They led her to the living room area and sat down. With tear-filled eyes, she said, "This isn't fair! I am already missing Dad and now I am going to miss Mom so much. She was always there for me no matter what."

Rhoda felt her heart break for Tessa. She wrapped her arms tighter around her and whispered, "Let it out sweetie, let it out."

Crumbling completely, she fell into her aunt's soothing embrace and broke down, crying harder. The only thing that Lou could do was to offer soothing back rubs. As they stayed with Tessa, Rhoda recalled one other time she comforted her.

 _~September 1974~_

 _Rhoda had come back on Lou's request and was now staying with Tessa. She made sure that Tessa did not see Mary go out with cuffs on her. Rhoda did all she could to distract Tessa. Bath, reading, singing, tickling, and cuddling. Right after she had tucked the little girl into bed, Rhoda heard, "Auntie Rhoda?"_

 _Rhoda looked at her surrogate niece and said, "Yes sweet pea?"_

 _Tessa asked, "My mommy will be okay, right?"_

 _Rhoda said in an assuring voice, "Yes she will be. Don't you worry little one."_

 _Tessa then asked, "But what if my mommy is not okay? Then what will happen to me?"_

 _Rhoda's heart broke for her niece. Tessa had been through a lot already. The last thing she needed was to lose Mary too. Rhoda knew one thing was for certain: She would take the little girl in if she had to. No matter what._

 _Stroking Tessa's hair, Rhoda leaned in, kissed Tessa on the forehead, and said to her, "Your mommy will be okay. I promise you that."_

 _Tessa then said, "I don't want to sleep in my own bed. Can I sleep you with you, Auntie Rhoda?"_

 _Knowing the little girl needed comfort, Rhoda said, "Of course sweetie."_

 _Letting the little girl out of her bed they went to Mary's room and there they went to bed, awaiting Mary's return._

Rhoda was lost in thought when she heard the cries die down to sniffles. She took the handkerchief that Lou offered and wiped away any remaining tears Tessa had. Feeling a bit better, Tessa said, "I am sorry I snapped. It is just… everything happened so fast and so sudden."

Lou took the chance now to speak. "Doodlebug, we understand. How about you let us help you so you can spend time with your family. Especially your kids. They need you."

After a pause, he continued, "Aunt Rhoda and I will take care of the details. I am sure Rose and Meredith want to help too."

Tessa looked at her uncle. Realizing that she did need help, she nodded and said, "I know I need to say sorry to the others."

Then they heard a stomach rumble – actually three stomachs. They smiled, knowing it was time for them to get a bite to eat. Just then, the door opened and their family all came in with extra food in hand. Zoey and Nathan saw their mom was doing better and ran to hug her.

Lou and Rhoda stepped aside to let Tessa spend time with her children. Tessa said, "I am sorry my babies if I have been ignoring you."

Zoey said, "It is okay mom. We know you miss Grandma and Grandpa as much as we do."

After that, Tessa gave James a hug. As she did so, she whispered "sorry" in his ear. James smiled. He lifted his head and mouthed "thank you" to Rhoda and Lou.

Over the next few days, everyone pitched in to help. Lou and Rhoda called the old crew while Meredith called the florist and the caterer for the reception following the funeral, and Rose called the church to speak with the pastor. This allowed Tessa to spend time with her children.

This was only the start of the healing process.

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 **A/N: Wow that was emotional! More emotions to come should not be as bad. Next chapter there will be more information about what jobs Tessa, Rose, and Meredith are doing as well as more on their respective spouses, James, Derek, and Matthew.**

 **A/N 2: Thanks for reading the second chapter of "Caring Family". As always reviews are appreciated!**


	3. Memories, part 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own MTMS, MTM Enterprises and 20** **th** **Television do.**

 **Author's Note: Sorry guys this update took me longer to write. The emotion I wrote into here, came from the heart as I had lost a dear family friend who I have known more than half my life. just over a week ago. So right now, my own emotions like Tessa's are up and down, so bear with me.**

 **Beta'd by: themtmshow (on Tumblr)**

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Everyone decided it was best to have Mary cremated and placed in an urn alongside Steven. They decided instead to hold a memorial service. The service had been a very beautiful and moving service that had taken place at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. During the service, Tessa and Rose thought it would be good to let Rhoda and Lou speak first since they knew their mother the longest. Following them, Tessa and Rose then went up to make their speeches.

Tessa spoke as calmly as she could. "Good afternoon. For as long as I can remember, my mom was there for me and Rose through thick and thin. There are so many memories I will now forever cherish. But for me, one stands out, playtime. You know when you were young you played games your mom? For me, it was hide and go seek and we would always have a blast."

 _~June 1973~_

 _It was a beautiful June morning. Mary and Tessa had spent the morning at the park playing in the playground and then a game of tag. When they got home, Mary had changed Tessa's soiled clothing. After a quick nap and then had lunch of cut up sautéed chicken and peas with small pieces of fruit and milk in her sippy cup, it was reading time. Mary had let Tessa read a few books, and then she read her some other books. After that, Tessa asked, "Mommy, we play hide n go seek?"_

 _So Mary said, "Okay sweetie, I will count and you go and hide, and I will come find you, okay?"_

 _Tessa nodded. "Okay, mommy."_

 _Mary counted while Tessa went and hid in the closet of her room. She closed the door and waited. When she heard her mommy's footsteps and she heard her say, "Hm, I wonder where Tessa is? Where could she be?"_

 _Tessa couldn't help but giggle. Just then, the door to the closet opened and Mary said, "There she is! I found you, silly girl!"_

 _Mary got in and picked Tessa up, tickling her for a little bit. Tessa laughed out loud, and Mary smiled. She was so glad that Tessa was a happy child despite what happened just a few months earlier._

 _They played a few more rounds before starting dinner. Tonight, they were going to have Rhoda over and Tessa said, "I wanna make Awuntie Rhoda a cake."_

 _Mary thought_ _ **Tessa is too sweet**_.

When Tessa finished recounting the memory, she saw the audience was both smiling and crying. Then she saw her aunt was doing the same thing. Rhoda smiled at the last part because she remembered the little cake Tessa made for her that evening.

 _~June 1973~_

 _Rhoda had arrived at the apartment for dinner with Mary and Tessa. When she got in she said, "Hey kid, doodlebug? I am here!"_

 _Right when she heard, "Awuntie Rhoda! You here!"_

 _Which was followed by a running toddler coming straight at her. Rhoda crouched down just in time to catch Tessa. Hugging her close, Rhoda stood up. As she walked to the dining area, Rhoda tickled Tessa and gave her kisses. Tessa giggled and hugged her favorite aunt tighter._

 _Rhoda saw everything was ready to go. Then Mary came out with a small cake and said, "Tessa wanted to make this cake for Auntie Rhoda."_

 _Seeing the cake that was a bit lopsided and had white frosting on it, Rhoda looked at Tessa and said, "You did? You are so cute and loveable, you know that, Tessa?"_

 _Tessa grinned her adorable toothy grin. She was loving the attention. Tessa added, "Uh huh, and mama help me."_

 _Rhoda smiled. Though she was watching what she was eating, she loved the cake Tessa had made for her._

Tessa almost made it all the way through her speech when she saw Mary's smiling photo. Just like that, she lost it once again and broke down sobbing. This time, not only Rose and Meredith went up but James, Rhoda, and Lou did too. After getting Tessa to her seat, it was Rose's turn.

Rose cleared her throat and said, "Hello everyone. Like Tessa said, my mom was there for me and my sister. There is one memory that has stuck with me on her commitment to us."

 _~April 1991, Mother-Daughter Night~_

 _Twelve-year-old Rose had called her mom to remind her about mother-daughter night at school. When she heard what her mother said, she replied, "It is okay, Mom, I will go with Diane."_

 _After hanging up, she also called her sister Tessa, but she got her answering machine. Feeling down, she looked at her babysitter Diane and said, "I am ready to go."_

 _Diane nodded. She felt sorry for her twelve-year-old charge. She only hoped either Mary or Tessa would be able to show up. After getting downstairs and a ten-minute cab ride, they arrived at her school._

 _When they reached the front entrance Rose saw her mother standing there. She was still in her work outfit and her hair a little messed up but she was there!_

 _Rose ran to her mother. "Mom! You made it!"_

 _Mary smiled, "Of course, honey. I didn't miss it with your sister, I wouldn't miss it with you."_

Mary _stood up and pulled a fifty out of her wallet. Diane deserved the overtime she had been putting in lately with her and Steven super swamped at their respective jobs. Diane thanked Mary and after saying goodbye to her charge, she went home._

 _As Mary and Rose headed in the door when the headmaster said, "Mrs. Cronin, Ms. Cronin, there a surprise waiting for you at the entrance of the gym."_

 _They headed there and saw who it was. Mary smiled as Rose ran to hug her sister. "Tessie!"_

 _Tessa got down to hug her sister. When Mary reached them, she hugged her older daughter. There they headed in for a special night._

Rose exchanged a smiled with Tessa and then let out a deep breath and continued, "Sorry I went a little off tangent. But from that day forward I knew of how deep my mom's love for us was."

Looking at the photo they selected she said, "I love mom and always will, forever and always."

After Rose, Meredith spoke a few words. Then it was Zoey and Nathan's turn, speaking on behalf of their cousins.

Nathan spoke first. "Hi everyone. I am Nathan Walter Connors. My grandmother, Mary Richards-Cronin, was a great woman. She was dearly loved by everyone knew her. She is also well-known and well-liked amongst the journalism field, which she worked in for most of her adult life."

"Grandma Mary was born Mary Richards to my great grandparents Dr. Walter and Mrs. Dottie Richards in Roseburg, a small town in Minnesota, on a beautiful April day in 1939. Her childhood is best described as comfortable since my great grandfather Walter was the chief of surgery for twenty-one years at The Roseburg County Hospital. In her freshman year at Leif Erickson High School, Mary met Denise Astley. From what little information I heard from my mom, Denise and Grandma Mary were inseparable. Though they had grown apart after high school, Denise thought of her enough to have my grandmother take my mom in. If that had not happened, then life would be very different today."

"Grandmother Mary attended college but never graduated. So she had worked as a secretary and a few years later after a failed relationship moved to Minneapolis and eventually found work with long, successful career. Although she had no experience in the journalism at the beginning, she was given a chance anyway thanks to Uncle Lou. Hiring Mary ended up changing Uncle Lou's life because otherwise, he would not have met GiGi and my two youngest cousins would not be here today. Now, my sister, Zoey wants to say something."

Giving his sister a hug Zoey nodded and began. "Hi everyone. My name is Zoey Malia Connors."

"Grandma Mary and Grandpa Steven were always so active and took care of us when mom and dad were busy with work. My grandmother was the kindest and most loving person. I heard many times from my parents that she was overjoyed from the moment she held me. I loved my grandmother and grandfather very much and will miss them both dearly."

"At the time of her death, Grandma Mary was eighty years old. Although she was healthy, she had been in decline after the death of Grandpa Steven."

"Her humility, integrity, and hard work continue to inspire those who knew her. Thank you."

Zoey, who for several days had been stoic, broke down crying. Nathan, who like Lou, didn't show his sensitive side quite as much, wrapped his arms around his sister hugging her tightly. Zachary, Maya, Ethan, and Ella all came up to hug her.

After the service ended with a final prayer, everyone filed out and headed to the Central Park Lake for a reception, chat, and catch-up.

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 **A/N 2: Sorry I was not able to cover more about what each of Tessa, Rose, Meredith and their S.O. does for a living. Hopefully, I can do so in chapter 4.**

 **A/N 3: Thanks for reading the third chapter. As always reviews are appreciated!**


	4. Memories, part 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own MTMS, MTM Enterprises and 20** **th** **Television do.**

 **Author's Note: Sorry guy this update came slower. The emotion I wrote in to here came from the heart as I had lost a dear family friend who I have known more than half my life. just over a week ago. So right now, my own emotions like Tessa's are up and down, so bear with me.**

 **A/N 2: On a lighter note there is a reference to Golden Girls, can you spot it?**

 **Beta'd by: themtmshow (on Tumblr)**

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When they reached the area The Boathouse, the socializing began. Everyone was able to make it to the service: Mary's former co-workers, some of Steven's former co-workers, Gordy and his family, Murray, Marie, Bonnie, Ellen, Laurie, Le Chan and their respective families, Georgette, David, Mary-Lou and their respective families, Phyllis, Bess, Alina and her own family.

Sue-Ann even came all the way from Florida. Instead of being her vixen self as everyone remembered her to be, she had mellowed out… _considerably._ Lou, Murray, and heck, even Rhoda was surprised. Sue-Ann's explanation was that after moving to Florida, she at one point roomed with three people. One of them was also man-hungry and _**way**_ more experienced. Sue-Ann realized she could not compete. Although she tried to, she got bested badly. She, in turn, found out that animal companions helped change her. They were allowed pets and Sue-Ann's favorite companion was a golden retriever, chocolate lab mix named Daisy.

As everyone socialized, Rose took the time to walk away from the crowd. She wasn't normally quiet but today was different. Today, she and Tessa said goodbye to their mother. For the past few days, she had stayed stoic and strong for Tessa. Now that the funeral was over, she was starting to feel the emotions come down on her.

She found a park bench nearby and sat down to think. Though it was a hot day, it didn't bother Rose; she had grown accustomed to the heat. There were many thoughts going through her mind. Right now, the main thought wasn't of her mother but of the older sister, she adored: Tessa. It didn't make a difference that Tessa was adopted. They were sisters and that was all that mattered.

As she sat there watching the calmness of the water, one memory came to mind. She smiled at this one.

 _~Fall 1989, New York University~_

 _After helping Tessa into her dorm room at NYU and meeting her roommate, the family went to the bookstore where Tessa got Rose her own NYU sweatshirt and a teddy bear._

 _As they were about to leave, Tessa hugged her parents. Steven hugged her first and he whispered, "I am proud of you, sweetheart. You're going to do great." Tessa smiled. She was glad her dad didn't tell her the same "stay out of trouble" speech again. She had heard it many times before, as her father's job required all of them to be in the public eye._

 _Tessa's mother hugged her too, only much tighter. Tessa loved those hugs ever since she was a young girl. They brought a sense of security... at least, to a point. After a while, Tessa said, "Uh, mom, I can't breathe."_

 _Mary released her grip and when she looked Tessa in the eyes, she couldn't stop smiling. "Tessa Cronin, I am so incredibly proud of you. You know that and you know everyone from your grandparents onwards is too…"_

 _Steven placed a hand on his wife's shoulder to stop her rambling. Mary gave Tessa another hug, less constricting this time. Tessa now got to her sister's level. Rose threw herself into Tessa's open arms Mary and Steven couldn't help but smile at the adorable sisterly moment._

 _Rose mumbled, "I am going to miss you, Tessie. It won't be same without you at home."_

 _Tessa whispered back, "I am going to miss you too sissy. I will be home on the weekends. I promise."_

 _Rose and Tessa came apart. Looking her older sister in the eye, Rose asked, "Really?"_

 _Tessa nodded. "In the meantime, you have your own sweatshirt to show off. How many kids in your class can do that? Plus, when you miss me, hug your bear and I will feel it."_

 _Rose smiled. She hugged her sister again. After getting in the car and with her seatbelt on, she managed to turn around a little and watch her sister get further and further away. She knew the school was only half an hour away, but it seemed like an eternity to Rose._

Rose was completely out of it when she heard a familiar voice. "Hey, sissy."

Rose shook her head and turned. There stood not only Tessa but Meredith as well. Rose didn't realize she had been crying a little until they came to sit with her. After wiping the tears, Rose said, "Hey, what you are you doing? Not that I'm not grateful you're here, but shouldn't you be at the reception?"

Tessa smiled a sad smile. She might have cried at the memorial, but she knew that Rose had been holding it together for the last few days for her sake. Now Rose would have to let out her emotions, sooner rather than later. Before Tessa could say anything, Meredith brought it up first. "Well, we along with everyone else, especially my parents, have noticed how you've been bottling up your emotions."

That did it. Rose broke down. Tessa and Meredith both wrapped their arms around Rose and let her have a good cry.

Back at the reception, Rhoda noticed that the three girls were nowhere to be seen. She and Lou had to stay to be in charge of the reception, so they motioned to Murray. As Marie chatted with the other guests, Murray walked over to where Rhoda and Lou were. Giving them each another hug, Murray said, "I am sorry that Mary is gone. Gosh, Tessa and Rose are so strong considering the circumstances."

Lou and Rhoda nodded. Lou then said, "Murray, could you go and find Tessa, Rose, and Meredith? Rhoda and I would love to, but we have to stay here."

Murray nodded. "Say no more, I will go now."

Murray went to find them. He didn't have to go far from the boathouse until he saw his surrogate nieces sitting together in a three-way hug. Smiling, Murray retreated and went back to let Rhoda and Lou know.

 _ **Meanwhile up in heaven, Mary was looking down at what had been happening. She was so happy that Rhoda and Lou were there for Tessa and Rose and their families. Becoming friends with Rhoda and Lou was the best decision she had ever made. Just then, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist. Mary smiled. She whirled around and gave Steven a big kiss. They had been apart for only eight weeks, but that was far too long for her.**_

 _ **When they separated, Steven said, "I missed you, my love."  
**_

 _ **Mary replied, "I missed you too, honey."**_

 _ **Standing side by side with her, Steven said, "I know that our daughters and their families are in good hands."**_

 _ **Mary said, "Yes they are."**_

 _ **Steven then said, "Mary, there is someone here who wants to talk you."**_

 _ **Mary asked, "Who?"**_

 _ **She didn't have to wait long before hearing, "Hi Mary."**_

 _ **Mary turned around and came face to face with the best friend she had lost touch with, the very one who changed her life forever: Denise, Tessa's biological mother. Next, to her, Mary presumed, was Tessa's biological father, Lee McGreer.**_

 _ **She and Denise hugged each other like no time had passed. Their husbands smiled. When Mary and Denise came apart, Mary said, "Denise, it is so good to see you!"**_

 _ **Denise beamed. "I know."**_

 _ **Lee said, "Denise and I are so grateful that you and Steven took such great care of Tessa."**_

 _ **Steven replied, "It was our pleasure. Tessa was a joy in our lives."**_

 _ **With that, they all blew kisses downwards and then headed off together.**_

As Rose dried her tears, the three of them felt a breeze, which was strange since it was one of the hottest days in Manhattan. But then Tessa knew what that meant: Her mom and dad were together again, and her biological parents were with them. Tessa looked at Rose and Meredith and saw that they knew as well.

Meredith said, "I know that Aunt Mary wouldn't want us to be sad for long. How about a trip down memory lane?"

Rose smiled. "Remember the time when we brought our then boyfriends to meet mom and dad and Uncle Lou and Aunt Rhoda were also in town?"

Tessa smiled and Meredith cringed as they recalled the memory.

 _~Fall 2002, Tavern on the Green, Central Park~_

 _Tessa, Rose, and Meredith and their boyfriends had arrived early and were waiting for their parents to arrive. They got a table and passed the time with PDA. They didn't notice their parents' arrival until Mary and Rhoda cleared their throats. Tessa, Rose, Meredith, and their respective beaus jumped apart and stood up to greet the parents._

 _After they sat down and placed their orders, Rhoda was the first to say, "Welcome, James, Derek, and Matthew. We look forward to getting to know you better."_

 _Steven asked first, "What are each of your respective jobs?"_

 _Derek answered, "James, Matthew, and I got together and formed a tech startup. James is the tech whiz, I am in charge of the engineering, and Matthew is the financial genius. We also work together to recruit and hire the best talent."_

 _Steven nodded, and Mary asked, "How did you guys meet?"_

 _With his arm around Tessa, James said, "Well, last year the editor of the magazine Tessa worked at contacted us saying they wanted to do a piece on Entrepreneurs of the New Millennium and Tessa here was assigned to take our photos. When I saw her, I was like, 'Wow, she is beautiful. I can't let this chance pass me by.' So after the shoot, I went to her and offered to help her pack up. She accepted and we talked as I helped out. Before we went our separate directions, we exchanged numbers, and before long we went on a triple date and you can say the rest is history."_

 _Mary looked at Steven and they smiled. It had been the exact same with them, meeting by pure chance. Before Rhoda got to talk or ask a question, Lou jumped right in. He asked a bit menacingly, "You know that I am as protective of Tessa and Rose as I am with Meredith. What are your intentions?"_

 _Tessa, Rose, and Meredith all flinched and chorused, "Dad! Uncle Lou!"_

 _Steven looked at the girls and said in a soothing manner, "We just wanted to be sure. I would have asked the same question only less menacingly."_

 _Everyone stared at Lou and Rhoda placed a hand on her husband. When he realized how he had been acting, he calmed a teeny tiny bit._

 _Matthew knew this had been coming and calmly answered for the three of them, "Mr. and Mrs. Grant, and Senator and Mrs. Cronin, you have mine and my friends' promise that our intentions are pure. We were raised to be gentlemen and would never ever even consider hurting Tessa, Rose, or Meredith."_

 _Again, everyone was looking at Lou. When they saw he had smiled a little, they let out a breath of relief. They knew that Lou hadn't lost his touch yet._

Tessa smiled, remembering that from then on, it had been smooth sailing. The three of them continued to sit there just for a little bit longer before heading back.

-x-

Hours later, when they got back to their hotel room, the first thing Rhoda did after taking off her heels was pulling Lou into a loving kiss. Lou responded to the kiss by wrapping his arms around Rhoda and kissing her back. When they parted lips, Lou held his wife close.

After a few brief moments, Rhoda said, "I am going to really miss Mary. I'm so grateful to have had her in my life. Otherwise, I wouldn't have met and married you."

Lou could only say, "Of course. As Nathan had said, if I had not hired his grandmother, then we would not have our two grandkids along with our fantastic great nieces and nephews."

With her head in Lou's neck, Rhoda said, "Do you remember when we celebrated our twenty-fifth anniversary?" The memory made her smile. She loved that day.

 _~Late March 2004, Marina Del Ray, 4:00 pm~_

 _Though they were now living in Colorado Springs, they occasionally returned to the area near where their daughter was born. Rhoda and Lou were enjoying the sunset whilst sitting in the gondola just off of Marina Del Ray. Lou had his arms around her and Rhoda felt relaxed and peaceful in her beloved's arms. Taking a deep breath, Rhoda said, "Lou, this is beautiful. Thank you for bringing me here for our anniversary. I…"_

 _Lou looked over at his lovely wife. Putting a finger on her lips, he said, "This day is not done yet. Close your eyes."_

 _Rhoda looked at Lou weirdly but then closed her eyes. Making sure her eyes were closed, Lou reached into his pocket, pulled out the ring box, opened it, and placed it in front of Rhoda's eyes. Then he said, "Rhoda, my love, you can open your eyes. Happy twenty-fifth anniversary, baby."_

 _When Rhoda opened her eyes, she saw the most gorgeous ring ever. It was an alternating aquamarine, tanzanite and diamond ring set in a platinum band. Rhoda gasped. She looked at Lou and said, "Oh Lou, honey, it is gorgeous. I love you so much."_

 _Lou took her hand and said, "Rhoda, twenty-five years ago we came together and were united as one after knowing each other for nine years. I am blessed to have you and our daughter in my life. I don't know what would have happened if we hadn't gotten together. So, Rhoda Faye Morgenstern, will you marry me?"_

 _Rhoda grinned brightly when she realized what was going on. Twenty-five years on and Rhoda was still so much in love with Lou. She leaned, gave him a sweet kiss, and said, "Louis Grant, I would marry you many times over."_

 _After the sweet kiss, Lou placed the anniversary ring on her finger. As they arrived at the pier, they heard cheering. There they saw not only Meredith but Mary there as well. Lou had asked Meredith to help. Meredith, in turn, had contacted her aunt. Mary and Meredith helped Rhoda and Lou off the boat and onto the docks. Hugs were exchanged before Mary said, "Of course you know I would not miss this for the world!"_

 _Meredith smiled. However, Lou, Rhoda, and Mary (and Steven) knew what Meredith (and Tessa and Rose) didn't know was they were about to receive a big surprise._

 _Then they were off. When Rhoda and Lou saw where the ceremony was going to be held, they were in awe! Though they had Lou's pension from work and the Army, they lived frugally, only splurging when necessary. When they arrived in the lobby Brenda, Tessa, Rose, Suzi, Ellen, and Janey were there to whisk Rhoda to the prep room while Steven, Benny, James, Derek, and Matthew met with Lou to get him ready._

 _An hour later, they gathered at the Ritz Carlton Marina Court for a romantic sunset ceremony. The former WJM crew and their families had made it (except for Ted who had passed many years earlier). Even Bess, Phyllis, and Alina and her fiancé made it! Almost everyone in the crew of guests were there as well._

 _Meredith knew her dad wanted to have the ceremony as soon as possible. So she and her older sisters had this surprise planned for her parents. Now, they were in front of the officiant who was conducting the ceremony. Lou was in a simple tux and Rhoda had on a simple red dress with a silk wrap over her arms. The officiant said, "Now Rhoda and Lou would to give their personal vows of commitment. Go ahead, Rhoda."_

 _Rhoda smiled brightly and said, "Lou, what I said twenty-five years earlier still stands today. You continue to show me the true meaning of love and your undying love and commitment to me and Meredith. Today and for always I will continue to pledge my undying eternal love."_

 _Lou grinned widely and said his vow. "Rhoda, my vow to you twenty-five years earlier is the same. I will laugh with you, and I will comfort you and Meredith. My love will always be endless and eternal."_

 _Rhoda and Lou sealed their commitment with a loving kiss._

 _Following the ceremony, everyone was socializing when the Connor brothers, along with Matthew, went up and got the mic. James spoke first. "Good evening, everyone. I want to thank you all for coming and helping us celebrate with Rhoda and Lou on their wedding anniversary."_

 _Matthew took the mic and said, "Congrats on celebrating twenty-five years. May there be many, many more years to come!"_

 _He passed the mic to Derek, who said, "Okay, now, I want to thank Rhoda and Lou for giving us permission to do this."_

 _Lou subtly smiled. He remembered how he proposed to Rhoda at Mary and Steven's wedding reception. Now it was about to happen again._

 _The MC got the mic and said, "Will Tessa and Rose Cronin and Meredith Grant come on up with your respective beaus?"_

 _The trio began to wonder what was up. As they stood next to their loved ones, the mic packs on James, Derek, and Matthew turned on and the three took their beloved's hands in theirs._

 _James started first. "Tessa, the love in this room has grown many times over the years. You, Rose, and Meredith have made each one of us the happiest we have ever been. So without further ado…"_

 _With precise synchronization, the three guys each got out a ring box, went down on one knee, and asked, "Will you marry me?"_

 _Tessa, Rose, and Meredith all let out a gasp. The three of them were caught off guard. They totally hadn't seen the proposal coming; at least, not like this._

 _The girls took turn answering. Tessa said, "A picture is a thousand words, and you three have provided three thousand words. James Connors, I will marry you!"_

 _As Tessa kissed James and received her ring, Rose replied in Shakespearian prose, "To marry you or to not marry you. That is the question. Derek Connors, of course, I will marry you."_

 _Rose kissed her fiancé and got her ring. Now it was Meredith's turn. Doing what her mother did, she leaned down, gave Matthew a kiss and said, "Matthew O'Grady, it would be my honor to marry you."_

 _Then the guests let out a loud cheer. This was indeed a happy day!_

Yes, their family had changed many times. But with Mary's death, nothing will change. Rhoda and Lou will always continue to love and care for all three girls and their families equally and that is that.

* * *

 **A/N 3: Thanks for reading the final chapter. Thanks to everyone who stuck in with me, even when I took a little longer than I usually did. As always reviews are appreciated!**


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